The present invention relates to a sliding lock mechanism for a rotary seat assembly used in an automobile and the like, particularly a lock mechansim having an operating lever projecting only forward of the seat in the assembly.
A conventional seat e.g. for an automobile is intended to be slidable and rotatable. A slidable and rotatable seat assembly as shown in FIG. 1 is comprised by a pair of rails (1)A and (1)B mounted on the floor (10) of the automobile, a pair of leg portions (2)A and (2)B mounted to the lower surface of a lower base of a seat (5) and slidably fitted to the rails (1)A and (1)B, thereby providing the lower base (2) in a slidable relationship with the floor (10), in addition, an annular ring rail (3) affixed to the upper surface of the lower base (2) and provided with a rail groove (3)A in which the periphery of a leg portion (4)A mounted to the lower surface of an upper base (4) is fitted so as to install the upper base (4) rotatably on the lower base (2), and the seat (5) being affixed to the upper surface of the upper base (4) through a frame (5)A.
In such a construction, a conventional sliding lock mechanism would be, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprised by support shafts (6)A and (6)B depending from the lower surface of the lower base (2), operating levers (7)A and (7)B respectively rotatably mounted to the support shafts (6)A and (6)B, a connecting lever (8) pivotally affixed to the connected ends of the operating levers (7)A and (7)B, and a lock pin (9) connected to the end of the connecting lever (8), whereby the lock pin (9) is inserted into one of a plurality of holes (10)A formed in series in the inner wall of rail (1)B and into a hole (10)B formed in the inner wall of the corresponding leg portion (2)B so as to lock the leg portions (2)A and (2)B in place with respect to the rails (1)A and (1)B, wherein when the seat (5) is faced forward, the operating lever (7)A is used to insert and withdraw the lock pin (9) into and from the hole (10)A of the rail (1)B and the hole (10)B of the leg portion (2)B, while when the seat is faced backward, the operating lever (7)B is used to insert and withdraw the lock pin (9) into and from the holes (10)A and (10)B.
In the construction, however, the operating lever (7)A or (7)B projecting from the back of the seat (5) as shown in FIG. 3 may injure a leg of a passenger on the rear seat and cause other troubles.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a rotary seat assembly to overcome the drawbacks of the prior construction mentioned above.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sliding lock mechanism to rotate an operating lever together with the rotation of the seat so as to position the operating lever always forward of the seat.